


Time and Again

by inatrice



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: First Kiss, Love Confessions, M/M, Pining Shiro (Voltron), SHIRO LOVES KEITH
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-02
Updated: 2018-03-02
Packaged: 2019-03-25 23:23:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,579
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13845210
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/inatrice/pseuds/inatrice
Summary: Shiro loves Keith, even when everyone else does, even when it's inconvenient, even when they don't have time. Shiro loves Keith.





	Time and Again

**Author's Note:**

> A WHOLE 10 MINUTES BEFORE S5. POST PANEL SCREECHING. SHIRO LOVES KEITH Y'ALL.

The first time he knows, Keith is stumbling out of the simulator, sweating and exhausted. But there is fire in his eyes and triumph on his face. He is shining and he is brilliant and Shiro realizes in that moment that he is hopelessly in love with this boy. He rushes forward to catch him before he can trip on his own feet and make a fool out of himself after blasting through all of the Garrison’s SIM records.

“Good fuckin work, wonder boy,” Shiro whispers to him as he pounds him on the back. 

The smile Keith gives him is so bright Shiro almost has to look away. 

Before either of them can say anything else, they're swarmed by officers and upperclassmen all wanting to get their own taste of the the wonder boy.

-

The second time he knows, is 18 hours before he set to launch for Kerberos. He’s spent the entire day with Keith; they’ve visited their favorite places, shared every meal together, and tomorrow morning before they prepare for take-off, he’s going to bring Keith to the launch site. But for now they’re staring up at the stars on the Garrison rooftop, leaning back on Shiro’s uniform jacket to combat the chilly concrete. 

They had been discussing constellations, but they’ve lulled into silence now, just enjoying each other’s presence while they still have time to themselves. Without a word, Keith slides closer, pressing into Shiro’s shoulder and taking his hand. For a heartbeat, Shiro doesn’t move. He knows how awkward Keith is with touch, but Shiro has never made a secret of how tactile he is. He knows this is for him and he cherishes it, folding the moment up and stowing it in his heart. He knows it might ruin what he’s been given, but Shiro can’t help himself and tilts his head to the side so that his cheek is resting on Keith’s crown. Shiro’s eyes slide shut as he’s granted permission to hold his position and just  _ be _ with Keith.

“I’m going to miss you.” Comes a faint whisper.

“I know.” Shiro responds, just as quiet. “And I’m going to miss you, too. But it’s only a year.”

Keith looks up at him, eyes wide and shining in the moonlight, and Shiro feels his heart swell; warmth spreading out through his chest and reaching the ends of his limbs. He wants to pull Keith into his arms and reassure him that it will all be okay, promise him that everything will turn out fine, because he can’t stand to see that kind of look on Keith’s face.

But he settles for a reassuring smile instead. “Besides, I’m gonna be the first human to fly that far and meet alien life.”

Keith smiles back. “You don’t even know if you’re gonna find microbes, you dork.”

“A man can dream can’t he?” Shiro says wistfully, smile turning into a grin as Keith snorts.

Their eyes lock and Shiro can feel a tug between them. He wants to move forward, to solidify what they’ve been dancing around before he leaves terra firma, but he doesn’t want to start something when they’re about to be seperated with minimal contact for so long.

So the two of them just turn back to face the stars, to face the day that’s about to come.

-

The third time he knows, is his first time back to Earth. It’s much later than he promised, he can’t remember more than a few hazy details of an  _ entire year _ , and he had to be broken out of a military quarantine, but he’s back and he’s with Keith. 

“It’s good to have you back,” Keith tells him in the muted sunrise. 

And he’s aged, they both have, far more than a year and a half should have aged them. But Shiro still sees his wonder boy, still sees that fire and those glittering eyes. And Shiro’s chest feels light for the first time in too long. That familiar voice, that familiar touch on his shoulder. It’s almost too much, but he manages to speak anyway.

“It’s good to be back.”

They lock eyes and Shiro finds himself swimming in Keith’s gaze. He wants to get lost, he wants to let himself go, he wants to just  _ be _ with Keith again.

But the Galra must already be on their way. They have to find Voltron. They have to escape. So he forces himself to speak again and spurs their journey forward.

-

The fourth time he knows, he’s staring at a hologram, no a  _ virtual mindscape _ , of himself as it speaks to Keith somewhere in the Marmora base.

“Right now, your friend desperately wants to see you.”

The words hit him so hard he almost has to take a step back. Shiro can feel a fire ignite behind his sternum as he watches Keith twitch on the metal floor. He yells and struggles against the Blades that hold him back, trying to reason with Kolivan that Keith  _ needs _ him. It’s Red that comes to both of their aid, thundering against the base and loosening the grip of his captors.

He runs, he sprints to Keith, the burning under his skin propelling him forward as if Red had come alive inside of him as well. 

Shiro had been questioning them, questioning his feelings, questioning Keith’s own unspoken feelings, but now he knows. Now he’s certain. Everything has solidified in his mind.

And even though he’s shocked when the Blade activates in Keith’s hand, even though their world is thrown into chaos and everything they know shifts  _ yet again _ , he knows.

He loves Keith. In every form, in every way, on every level. Hopelessly, irrevocably, and completely.

Shiro loves Keith.

And nothing will change that.

-

It takes time. Far longer than either of them ever thought they had entering an intergalactic war. But once the head is cut off the snake, it’s time they’ve earned. They’ve won and somehow miraculously, they’re alive. 

The fifth time that Shiro knows beyond a shadow of a doubt they’re hovering together just outside of Shiro’s room in the Castle. It’s been years since they’ve found themselves in a similar situation, but here they are. It’s almost surreal, like they’re fresh Paladins, not Heroes of war.

Shiro feels that familiar tug that that he felt so so long ago under the stars on the rooftop of the Garrison, back before any of this was real. And this time he doesn’t stop himself.

He reaches out for Keith, hoping to take a hold of his hand. Keith surprises him by meeting him half way. There’s a hesitancy between them. They’ve been putting it off for so long now it almost doesn’t feel right to acknowledge it.

“Keith-”

“Shiro-”

They both blink and the tension leaves. They laugh lightly and step into each other’s space. Keith’s arms find their way around Shiro’s neck and Shiro’s hands find themselves at Keith’s hips.

“You first,” Keith tells him, softly as he looks up fondly. 

They’ve aged, and this time it’s a more appropriate amount for what they’ve been through and for how long it’s been. Fuller muscles, more scars. Keith’s hair is longer than he’s ever had it, but his eyes still sparkle just the same as they find themselves back in this familiar moment. 

“I love you, Keith.” Shiro whispers, the words flowing out of him as if he’s already said them a million times before. And maybe he has. In his actions, in his touches, in his looks. But it feels nice to hear it in his own voice. “It’s hard to remember a time when I didn’t love you.”

After all the things they’ve seen, after all the things they’ve done, Keith still has it in him to blush at such blatant affection. “I love you, too, Shiro. I have for a really long time.”

It had been obvious, to him, to the rest of the team, to gossiping aliens on whatever space internet existed out here, but the fact that Keith says it without a moment’s hesitation is only a testament to how much he’s grown. 

“I’m sorry we never had time to do anything about it.” Shiro says, pulling him closer. 

Keith rests his head on Shiro’s shoulder and sighs softly. “We were just a little busy.”

Shiro huffs out a laugh and rests his cheek on Keith’s crown. “I suppose so,” He concedes with a click of his tongue.

They stand there together, holding each other like they’ve always deserved. Letting themselves have a soft and quiet moment for the first time in years.

Shiro’s the one that pulls back first, bringing a hand up to tilt Keith face towards his. He searches the familiar face for any hesitancy, for any opposition. When he finds none, he moves forward, pressing their lips together.

Their first kiss is everything he could have dreamed and more. They’ve spent years connected mentally, intimate in ways humans were never meant to be, but this is more powerful than anything he’s ever experienced. His entire body surges with light and heat and love and he thinks that he could cry right here. 

It’s not until they break apart that Shiro realizes his cheeks are damp and Keith’s are as well.

They laugh and lean their foreheads together, sniffling happily for a moment before they were pressing more kisses to each other’s faces, whispering back and forth  _ I love you, I love you, I love you. _

**Author's Note:**

> COME YELL AT ME ON TWITTER @inatrice AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA


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